Photo By Katelyn Newton
Having to continue learning at home, students attempt to transform their bedrooms into classrooms.
Calif. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Says Campuses Will Not Reopen This School Year
Thurmond urges districts to switch to online learning
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Tuesday that campuses will not reopen this school year and that districts should prepare the serve students through online education.
“Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing, it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year, Thurmond said. “In order to allow schools to plan accordingly, and to ensure that learning still occurs until the end of the school year, we are suggesting that schools plan and prepare to have their curriculum carried out through a distance learning model.”
San Juan and other districts in Sacramento County earlier this week announced plans to keep campuses closed through early May.
The district has been loaning laptops to students and providing training for teachers in preparation for beginning computer-based distance learning on April. 13.
Thurmond’s statement reflects previous announcements by Gov. Gavin Newsom that schools across the state should remain closed until next fall, a sentiment the governor repeated at a press conference today.
“The right thing to do for our children, the right thing to do for the parents, for households, for the community which they reside, is to make sure that we are preparing today to set our school system up where we are increasing class time, but increasing it at home,” Newsom said.
Thurmond said the Department of Education would provide guidance later this week “in regards to grading and graduation requirements.”
The department is also supporting schools in training teachers and getting computers the low-income students.
“We are in unprecedented times, and it’s hard to tell what the future holds as we are all doing our best to flatten the curve,” Thurmond said. “From what we know right now, our schools will be closed longer than we originally thought, and it will be best if our schools are prepared for that extension, by having their distance learning models prepared to go until the end of the school year.”